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  The battle rages, and the Captain of our army encourages us to stand in the gap, to “put on the whole armor of God...and having done all, to stand.”   A recent bulletin reported that the Episcopalian church is on the verge of allowing homosexuals into their pulpits.  Another bulletin reports that the Catholic church is about to capitulate on this same moral issue.  Meanwhile, toleration is in, opposition is out, and it is apparent that our brethren are about to succumb to the same kind of “pluralistic” thinking that is sweeping our society.  “Judge not that ye be not judged” has become the battle cry for those weak of spirit.  Controversy is no longer politically correct, whether it is in the political or the religious realm. I for one, am grateful that neither Jesus, nor His apostles, ever adapted such a philosophy in order to promote and promulgate the “faith once for all delivered to the saints” (Jud...

The Baggage Claim   Baggage.  What does that word bring to your mind?   To some, the word baggage will bring to mind suitcases and personal belongings of travelers.  To others, Webster’s third definition may be considered: “intangible things that get in the way.”  To all, baggage will likely be thought of as a heavy burden.   Jacob Hawk recently flew to Nashville, TN for a speaking engagement.  He experienced some difficulties in his airline travel.  “I was delayed on my first flight, arrived late on my last flight, and lost my bags in the process,” he reported. *   The airline placed his luggage on another plane, so he had to wait for a few hours at the baggage claim for his belongings to arrive.  As he waited, he contemplated on some lessons about life learned from the baggage claim.   One lesson that Hawk considered was that every person has some “baggage.”  “We have those ...

Gracious   Alfred Angelo, a national bridal chain, abruptly closed around July 14, 2017, informing customers through their website and printed messages on closed storefront windows that the chain was filing bankruptcy.   Brides and their families who had not received their dresses panicked.  Many of them had already paid for the dresses and for needed alterations.   Rose Ellis, a seamstress in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was picking up dresses to alter at the Alfred Angelo store in Oklahoma City when she learned the news that the bridal chain was closing that very day.   Her first thoughts were focused on the brides who were counting on their dresses for their special days.  She felt she had to do something about the situation.  And she did.   Rose gathered around 60 dresses in the Oklahoma City store that had been paid for and needed alterations and brought them home with her.  Her goal was to complete the alterations, contact the owners of the dresses...

WHAT HAPPENED Donald R. Fox (What has happened to our society over the years?)   I was doing some research about the present Army statistics concerning fitness for Military Service.   After my research, I was discussing the great change within our society with my wife, Shirley.   Concerning this change within our society from the when we were young.   Yes, we as a society have changed.   So what someone says and who cares.   I understand such thinking. However, some changes can hurt society.   As a point did you know our present statistics show that "75 percent of military-age are ineligible for joining the military."   According to Census Facts on WWII, the “WWII memorial honors 16.1 million who served, 292,000 who died."   Yes, we had 16.1 million people in the military service during WW2.   My Father was a WW1 vet, wounded two times, married with us five Fox kids, and he served also in WW2.   What transpired with our present Am...

Learn more about fasting with this free Bible study:  www.abiblecommentary.com/fasting.pdf

I have been accused of over emphasizing the part baptism plays in the salvation of sinners. In view of what the Bible teaches, I do not see how this could be possible. There are five passages in the New Testament which mention both baptism and salvation in the same verse (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Rom. 6:4; Acts 22:16; 1 Peter 3:21). In all of these passages, water baptism precedes the remission of sins. Do you know of a passage where the order is reversed? Mark 16:16 contains two conditions for salvation: faith and baptism. It also contains the conditions for damnation: a lack of faith. If you want to know what you must do to be lost, it will tell you -- all that is necessary is a lack of faith. If you want to know what to do to be saved from your past sins -- it commands you to believe and be baptized. In Acts 2:38 Peter told a group of believers to "repent, and let everyone of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins." Our Baptist friends often fo...

Thought for the Week     This is a most intriguing question put forth by James and is one that should command our attention. If our high hopes, our great expectation of one day going home to live with the redeemed of all ages is going to become reality, we must be a wise person.  I wonder, what would you consider to be characteristics of a wise person. Certainly, I believe we would all agree that a wise person is one who builds his faith and hope on Jesus (Acts 4:12).  Of course we must conclude that a wise person is one who fears God and strives to keep his commandments (Eccl. 12:13).  There are many other characteristics of a wise man that could be mentioned but suffice it to say that the wise man knows he belongs to God and by a life dedicated to God, a life disciplined by God and a life that is distinctive for God testifies to all who know him that he belongs to God.   The wise man speaks often with his God and seeks God's blessing (1 Thessalonians 5:7;...